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Welcome

LAST YEAR’S ISSUE OF BESPOKE went down so well that here we are with issue two, celebrating the very best of the world of craftsmanship and luxury.

This is our opportunity to dive into fascinating subjects that we don’t always have room to cover fully in Magneto, and it often segues well with our own events, especially Concours on Savile Row (which takes place on May 20-21, 2026, by the way).

And so we have a wide selection of articles for you to read, from bespoke classic cars – Frontline’s re-engineered MGA and Automotive Artisans’ Alfa T33 homage – to personalised fountain pens.

We’ve also introduced tech products this year, recognising that so many of us are as fasincating by the latest technology as we are by age-old craftsmanship. The feature on Vienna-based C SEED’s remarkable folding TVs is a good example of this, but we also have a selection of new products across a wide price range.

Of course, we have plenty of watches in here too – they’re always popular. The deep dive into Mondaine’s Swiss railway clockinspired watches is an especially good read.

So, I hope you enjoy this year’s copy of Bespoke – happy browsing!

Published by Hothouse Media

Geoff Love, David Lillywhite, George Pilkington

Editorial

Design Andrew Thomas

Writers Nathan Chadwick, Mark Dixon, Simon de Burton, James Elliott

Production Richard Aucock, Tim Pitt

Creative director Peter Allen

Advertising

Sophie Kochan sophie.kochan2010@gmail.com

Sue Farrow sue@flyingspace.co.uk

Rob Schulp rob@flyingspace.co.uk

Production

Elaine Briggs elaine@hothousemedia.co.uk

Accounts

Jonathan Ellis accounts@hothousemedia.co.uk

Printing Buxton Press

All material in this magazine, whether in whole or in part, may not be reproduced, transmitted or distributed in any form without the written permission of Hothouse Media.

Hothouse Media uses a layered privacy notice giving you brief details about how we would like to use your personal information. For full details, please visit www.magnetomagazine.com/privacy. Bespoke is published annually by Hothouse Publishing Ltd.

Registered office: Castle Cottage, 25 High Street, Titchmarsh, Northants NN14 3DF, UK.

Great care has been taken throughout the magazine to be accurate, but the publisher cannot accept any responsibility for any errors or omissions that might occur.

The editors and publishers of this magazine give no warranties, guarantees or assurances, and make no representations regarding any goods or services advertised in this edition.

Supplied free of charge with Magneto 28, Winter 2025. Not for resale.

David Lillywhite Editorial director

MONTEGRAPPA PENS

Beautiful fountain pens that can now be customised

MONDAINE WATCHES

Timeless design inspired by the Swiss railway clock

OBJETS D’ART

Must-have products, from coats to a coffee machine

FRONTLINE MGA

A classic sports car with modern manners

SCABAL

Where Savile Row tailors source their fabric

DR HARRIS

The high-class chemist with a Royal Warrant

C SEED

Folding TVs that are ideal for modern homes

NYETIMBER

Wine experts looking forward to a sparkling 2026

10 14 18 26 30 34 36 42

WATCHES

The latest in functional and fashionable wrist wear

TUMI LUGGAGE

Clever luggage in collaboration with McLaren

AUTOMOTIVE ARTISANS R33

An homage to the most beautiful car ever made

JORDAN BESPOKE

Motor sport-inspired leather goods and luggage

NEW TECH DESIRABLES

From a record player to a ChatGPT-powered recorder

CASMIN

Casmin makes your automotive dreams come true

44 50 54 58 60 66 64

KEITH LIPERT GALLERY

Personalised gifts to surprise and delight

The pen is

Words SimondeBurton Photography Montegrappa

THE COMPUTER KEYBOARD MAY HAVE replaced the nib as our favoured writing tool, and there’s no denying that most of us wonder how we managed before the days of emails and texting – but (emotionally at least) the fountain pen remains the quiet king of communication instruments.

After all, who doesn’t like to receive a letter handwritten in a quality ink on heavy notepaper with care, imagination and a consideration for not smudging?

The traditionally penned word also offers an insight into our character according to the way we loop, cross and dot. When chosen in favour of a swift message delivered by cyberspace, it demonstrates a thoughtfulness that’s invariably appreciated.

Evidence of how ‘the pen is back’ (or on the way back, at least) can be seen at the events organised by UK Pen Shows, which holds five pen exhibitions annually in the UK plus another in Singapore (the first show of 2026 will be in Hammersmith, West London, on March 1).

“The vast reduction of pen shops in the UK has meant that any opportunity to see, feel and use all the wonderful pens we see online is very rare,” says coorganiser Jeremy Collingridge. “The network of shows can at least enable a number of people to LEFT Communicating by fountain pen adds personality and gravitas to your words.

experience what was available in most large towns and cities in the past.”

Collingridge says it’s not just tech-averse old curmudgeons who are turning back to the nib but youngsters, too. The shows have experienced an influx of younger buyers who are tired of typing and have an interest in writing for writing’s sake.

And it’s not only pens that they are falling in love with, but the ink that goes in them – these days, it can be had in a vast spectrum of colours and even comes with the addition of extras such as scent and glitter.

So it seems that fountain pens are making a comeback both in terms of use and as collectables, in much the same paradoxical fashion that the mechanical wristwatch soldiers on as a statement of style and sophistication despite the time being instantly available on our smartphones.

Speaking of which, Porsche Design offers a service called the Custom-built Timepieces Programme that enables buyers either to own a watch that complements their car as closely as possible or simply to create the personalised one-off of their horological dreams.

Imagine if you could do that with pens. Well, imagine no more – because you can.

Founded in 1912, Montegrappa might be the oldest fountain pen manufacturer in Italy, but it’s bang up to date in terms of its digital configurator, an interactive web platform that invites customers to get creative and dream-up one-of-a-kind writing instruments that ‘reflect their personal style’.

Very similar to the systems offered by today’s highend car marques, the Montegrappa Configurator makes it possible to build the pen of your dreams by offering thousands of potential combinations of materials, colours and finishes.

The configurator can be used to create fountain, rollerball or ballpoint pens and is every bit as effective as a time-wasting displacement activity as the versions designed for customising cars.

ABOVE Montegrappa allows you to design your own custom ‘writing instrument’.

And I can vouch for that, having just spent 45 minutes creating different combinations of cap tops, caps, ‘sections’ (the bit between the nib and the barrel), barrels and ‘blind caps’ (the bit on the end).

There’s also the option to choose a themed clip, with available categories being ‘finance’, ‘property’, ‘health’ and ‘energy’ (Montegrappa clearly knows its market), and, finally, the thickness of your nib.

But, as with selecting the bespoke finishes for what should end up as a dream car, creating your personalised pen is something that makes it easy to understand why we are not all designers.

My creation ended-up featuring a cap top engraved with my birth sign of Taurus the bull, a cap made from snakewood, a ‘section’ of blue resin and an orange resin barrel topped by a ‘blind cap’ in glittering blue.

The palladium clip came from the ‘energy’ category and featured a tiny facsimile of a crude oil pipe, and I opted for a medium nib.

The result? A pen costing around £2000 that will almost certainly be given back by anyone who borrows it.

‘The result? A pen costing around £2000 that will almost certainly be given back by anyone who borrows it’

Should I decide to go ahead and order my very personal creation, the specs would go direct to the Montegrappa factory in Bassano del Grappa, where one of the firm’s craftspeople would set about piecing together the various elements, and in just ten days the bespoke ‘writing instrument’ would be delivered to my door anywhere in the world.

If you fancy giving the configurator a go with the guiding hand of someone who really knows how to use it, visit the Montegrappa store at Harrods of Knightsbridge.

You can even make a pair of cufflinks to match... Montegrappa.com UKpenshows.co.uk

When brands talk of sustainability, it seems like just a new marketing buzzword. Not at Mondaine, for whom a commitment to its principles is a key part of its DNA

Timefor sustainability

Words Nathan Chadwick

“FAMILY OWNERSHIP, SWISS QUALITY, MINIMAL design – and sustainability that is part of our roots,” says André Bernheim, CSO of Mondaine.

When I speak to André, the wider watch world is experiencing difficult times – if you’ll forgive the pun. However, on the cusp of celebrating Mondaine’s signature Swiss railway station clock-inspired design, he couldn’t be clearer about why Mondaine is more relevant than ever. “For us, sustainability is not a luxury,” he says. “It is simply part of how we work.”

Mondaine’s origins can be traced back to Erwin Bernheim, André’s father, and Erwin’s decision to turn away from being a tailor, just after the Second World War. “It was his own father’s last wish – he died when my father was 14, and asked him to learn a decent trade, and at that time tailoring was regarded as respectable work,” explains André. “He learned the craft, but he never truly enjoyed it.”

In the immediate post-war period, Switzerland was home to many Jewish refugees who had fled their original countries without passports or possessions. “They travelled all over the world and asked my father to buy and sell their watches,” André says. “It didn’t take long before he found that the watches he was buying were unreliable.”

Convinced he could make better watches, Erwin formed Mondaine with a business partner, who eventually moved to Brazil. “My father was a self-made man who started with virtually nothing – slowly, through curiosity and determination, he learned stepby-step how a watch could be made and what could be improved,” André explains.

Mondaine watches

Erwin and Mondaine frequently found themselves ahead of the market. “In the late 1960s he was among the first to invent a digital watch, and in the early 1970s he developed the world’s first solar-powered analogue watch,” André explains. “Both came about simply because he was curious and eager to explore new ideas – my brother and I have tried to keep that spirit alive.”

The biggest change occurred in the 1980s. Although the brand was selling, André says that it lacked a strong concept behind it. Cue the design theme that is now emblematic of the Mondaine brand. “One day my brother noticed the station clock at the railway and realised that same design could be adapted for the wrist,” he says. An approach was made to the Swiss railway authorities, who were initially nonplussed by the idea. “They explained that their work was to transport people and goods and not to license designs, but my brother persisted and eventually they granted us permission to use their logo.”

In 2026 Mondaine will mark 40 years since this defining design inspiration was taken onboard, and the company continues to reference its origins beyond mere aesthetics with its Stop2Go concept. “It is the only watch in the world that is designed to stop every minute,” explains André. “The idea was created in 1944 by one of the engineers at Swiss Federal Railways, Hans Hilfiker. He was asked to design a clock system for the stations that would all show exactly the same time, which was essential because the tracks were single line and precise coordination was vital.”

The only system available was the telephone lines that ran along the tracks, so Hilfiker developed a ‘mother clock’ near Zurich that sent signals to other station clocks to keep them synchronised. To achieve this, the clocks were stopped briefly every minute so they could reset in perfect time with the master clock. “Before this, station clocks did not have second hands,” says André. “This addition was crucial, as it allowed

passengers to see at a glance how long they had until their train departed, and whether they could walk calmly or needed to run. It also helped prevent collisions by coordinating train movements. The second hand became one of the world’s most legible and practical designs, clear even from a long distance.”

ABOVE

Mondaine’s new Doppio watches are an alternative to its traditional railway clock design.

The red dot at the tip of the second hand was carefully chosen to avoid misleading passengers into believing the timing was exact to the split second. “The sweep of the hand is completed in 58.5 seconds, not a full 60, so the hand pauses briefly at the top of the dial before the minute changes,” explains André. “The dot softened the impression of absolute precision, and attempts to copy it often fail. German imitations replaced the red dot with a hole, which is hard to see from a distance, and they added an arrow to the tip, which falsely suggested greater precision. Both decisions undermined the clarity and honesty of the original design.”

These attributes are what makes the design so potent and enduring. “He believed good design was defined by balance: nothing should be removed without losing something, and nothing should be added without excess,” André says. “The Stop2Go design embodies that philosophy. It has remained unchanged since 1944 and is one of the most sustainable designs ever created.”

Sustainability is a key part of Mondaine’s make-up, and it too stretches back to parental influence. “My mother was a refugee from Germany and escaped on one of the last trains. My father had no money, so they truly started from nothing – waste was not an option,” André says. “When we were children there was never food waste; everything was kept and reused.”

This ethos translated into a 1990s programme of collecting used metal, melting it down and forming it into new cases. There was also a private label run of watches decorated with recycled Coca Cola and Red Bull cans. “This focus on reducing, reusing and

‘The Stop2Go design embodies that philosophy. It has remained unchanged since 1944’

recycling was part of our DNA – we did it instinctively, not for marketing,” explains André. “Only in the mid2000s did we notice consumers becoming more aware of sustainability. We had already created watches in the 1990s using 100 percent post-consumer recycled metal, although the word ‘upcycling’ did not exist.”

From 2011 onwards, Mondaine experimented with other materials, such as cork linings instead of leather, and recycled PET for straps. “When we asked suppliers about the origins of traditional leather, how it was processed and dyed, they could not or would not give clear answers. There were too many layers of subcontractors and no transparency,” André says. “We looked outside the watch industry and found an Italian company testing materials made from grape and apple skins, the leftovers from the wine and juice industries. We tested many different sources, including banana leaves and cactus, to check comfort, durability and quality. The Italian material proved to be at least as good as leather, if not better.”

They found it resistant to both wear and water, and it didn’t develop an odour over time – crucially, it also didn’t add cost to the watch. “Sustainable watches should not cost more than others,” André says. “The same applies to our move to CO2 neutrality; we balance the emissions we create through reforestation, so our watches do not add further harm to the atmosphere. We did it because it was the right thing to do.”

Mondaine’s design ethic is very focused on minimalism, but with the freedom to choose different styles within that. André believes that the time when people bought brands for the name alone, when a logo on a T-shirt couldn’t be big enough, has begun to fade. “People no longer want to act as billboards for a brand, they want to show their individuality,” André says. “Our designs are simple, minimal, and the people who choose them are often more thoughtful about sustainability and more comfortable with

quiet expression than they are with loud branding.”

It’s this kind of thinking behind Mondaine’s new second line, Doppio. “The name Doppio has several meanings – it can be as light as an espresso or as significant as the two elements at the heart of someone’s life,” André muses. “It reflects the idea of pairs: two eyes, two hands, two people together. It asks each person to think: what is your Doppio, what are the two things that define you?”

Definition is at the heart of every brand, and for André both watch lines carry the spirit of taking a beat to consider the wider world. “With the railway clock models in particular, we speak of the ‘two seconds to remember’ – moments in life, whether joyful or sad, that stay with you forever.”

There’s plenty of time for thought in the Swiss watch industry at the moment. André sees Mondaine’s biggest challenge as one of visibility. “We have always done a great deal in sustainability without saying much about it – others make more noise about far less,” he says. “We want to be clearer in showing people that they can buy a well-designed, sustainable Swiss-made watch at an accessible price.”

Find out more at https://uk.mondaine.com/

TOP Mondaine is still a family business, owned by brothers André (on left) and Ronnie Bernheim.

Compiled by Nathan Chadwick & Sophie Kochan

Objets

Beautiful enhancements for your life, home and personal style

1. CREMIEUX SHEARLING PILOT JACKET

This Italian-made shearling jacket draws inspiration from aviation and has a classic bomber silhouette. Made from 100 percent shearling, it costs £3950. cremieux.fr

2. BOODLES RAINDANCE PINK DIAMOND HEART PLATINUM RING

This ring is crafted from platinum and 18-carat Single Mine Origin pink gold, featuring three heart-shaped pink diamonds certified at 0.09 ct, 0.06 ct and 0.06 ct. The ring is further accented with seven brilliant-cut white diamonds, totalling 2.54 ct. It costs £100,000. boodles.com

3. JO LOVES AMBER, LIME & BERGAMOT PERFUME

Amber Lime & Bergamot is inspired by the 1920s Concours d’Elegance at London’s Hurlingham Club. The award-winning fragrance combines citrus, spice and warm woody notes. It costs £120 for a 100ml bottle. joloves.com

4. TUMI 19 DEGREE TITANIUM EXTENDED TRIP CHECKED LUGGAGE

Crafted from titanium, this case features dual TSA locks, protective bumpers, telescoping handles, four dual-spinning wheels and an interior with mesh pockets, compression straps hanger bracket and TUMI Tracer. The 77.5cm costs £4000 and the 56cm is £3160. tumi.com

5. RAY-BAN FOR SCUDERIA FERRARI 2025 MONZA LIMITED EDITION

Designed by Ray-Ban for Scuderia Ferrari HP for the 2025 Monza GP, these limited-edition sunglasses mark 50 years since Niki Lauda’s first world title at Monza in 1975. Made from nylon, they feature a transparent blue aviator frame, plus polarised lenses for clear vision. Italian-made, they include dedicated packaging and a certificate of authenticity and cost £300. store.ferrari.com

6. HARRY WINSTON SUNFLOWER EMERALD AND DIAMOND EARRINGS

This pair of earrings features an emerald green centre stone, each accented with round brilliant diamonds. Designed to sit gracefully on the ear, their form evokes a sunflower in full bloom, offering a striking yet elegant presence for both day and evening wear. POA. harrywinston.com

7. DIPTYQUE ORPHÉON SURPRISE SET

This gift set features two signature scents: a limitededition Orphéon eau de parfum and a matching scented cleansing gel. The book-shaped container is inspired by Parisian bookshops. It costs £94. diptyqueparis.com

8. GIEVES & HAWKES HOVELL HERRINGBONE TOP COAT

The Hovell Top Coat is a long, single-breasted coat with a notch lapel. Made from 100 percent virgin wool with a Barberis herringbone pattern, it costs £1495. gievesandhawkes.com

9. PORSCHE X SMEG BEAN-TO-CUP COFFEE MACHINE 917 SALZBURG

Inspired by the 1970 Le Mans winner, this limitededition coffee machine has six drink options to survive all 24 hours of the race itself. Maybe. It costs £1399.95. store.porsche.com

10. LAUDORACING MASERATI BITURBO

The Maserati Biturbo is now being appreciated for its crisp 1980s style, and this 1/18-scale model brings it to life in beautiful detail. The pictured car is featured in Smoky Quartz Metallizzato Argento Medio, but other colours are available. It costs €121.90. laudoracing-models.com

11. HENRY POOLE & CO CUNDEY WEAVE TIE

Crafted by Savile Row’s oldest tailors, this 100 percent silk tie is made in London. Measuring 9cm, it’s available in a range of colours and costs £145. henrypoole.com

12. JORDAN BESPOKE GTO HOLDALL BLU LE MANS ORANGE

This holdall pays tribute to Le Mans. Crafted from Italian suede, with handles made of automotive seatbelt webbing, it costs £1995. jordanbespoke.com

13. BENTLEY BECOME ZENITH FRAGRANCE

The newest Bentley fragrance blends fresh and sophisticated notes created by perfumer Violaine Collas. It opens with violet leaf, cardamom and cocoa, develops a heart of leather, papyrus and patchouli gayo, and finishes with a warm base of vanilla, sublimolide and ambergris, reflecting Bentley’s ambitious approach to scent. It costs £80. shop.bentleymotors.com

14. LARUSMIANI TURTLENECK LAPPONIA CASHMERE SWEATER

The Lapponia sweater is made from 100 percent fine cashmere with a high ribbed collar, rib knit cuffs and cable knit pattern. Made in Italy, it costs £1363. larusmiani.com

15. DR HARRIS WINTER SKIN GIFT SET

Be ready for winter with this three-piece set. The DR Harris Almond Oil Bath Soap is triple-milled and enriched with almond oil to prevent dryness. It produces a long-lasting lather and carries a subtle fragrance of rose, geranium, cinnamon and clove. The 100 percent pure Almond Oil is hypoallergenic and high in Vitamin E, helping to condition skin and hair, reduce the appearance of dark patches, and support skin affected by eczema, psoriasis or rashes. Almond Oil Skinfood is a versatile, rich cream for face, hands and body, ideal for dry or chapped skin. It costs £50. drharris.co.uk

16. MONTEGRAPPA HARRY HOUDINI

The Montegrappa Harry Houdini is a limited-edition writing instrument that pays tribute to the legendary illusionist and escape artist. Part of Montegrappa’s Icons series, the pen features sterling silver 925 trim, vermeil (gold-plated sterling silver), calf leather and resin. Its design elements include engraved shackles, locking points and a tensioned bracelet chain, all inspired by Houdini’s famous escape acts. The 18k gold nib is available in various sizes including EF, F, M, B, and Stub 1.1, and the pen is presented in a unique display case designed to resemble a Houdini-style escape box. Limited to 150 pieces, it costs €5995. A rollerball version, also limited to 150, costs €5495. montegrappa.com

17. LUCA FALONI PORTOFINO LINEN SHIRT

The classic Portofino shirt is crafted from 100 percent Italian linen. It features the signature ‘Paramontura’ one-piece collar, Australian mother-of-pearl buttons and a rounded hem. Pre-washed to prevent shrinkage, it comes in slim and regular fits and costs £175. lucafaloni.com

18. SCALEXTRIC GENIUS TWIN PACK

The Genius Twin Pack features two notable cars designed by Gordon Murray: the blue GMA T.50 and the red Brabham BT46B. The GMA T.50 is a road car with a V12 engine and advanced aerodynamic design, while the Brabham BT46B, nicknamed the ‘fan car’, is celebrated for its innovative Formula 1 engineering. It is available to pre-order now, and costs £109.99. scalextric.com

19. THE LAKES SINGLE MALT

This offers aromas of polished oak, dried fruits, pecan nuts, dark chocolate and orange zest. On the palate is a melody of baking spices, sweet sultanas, raisins and figs, giving way to stewed orchard fruits, a burst of citrus and opulent notes of treacle. It costs £85. lakesdistillery.com

20. STEINER BLUHORIZONS 10X42

The world’s first binocular to automatically adjust to bright conditions, eliminating glare. With 10x magnification and 42mm lenses, it costs $574.99. steiner-optics.com

APlus

Based just a stone’s throw from the original MG factory, Frontline is the acknowledged world leader in upgrading classic MGs

THINK OF SERIOUSLY UPGRADED CLASSICS, and a very select few companies will come to mind for desirable models such as the Jaguar E-type or Porsche 911. And for the MG marque, the company is unquestionably Frontline.

For well over 30 years, Frontline has been developing MGs into what the original chief engineer of the MGB, the late Don Hayter, called ‘the car we always wanted to build’. Founded in 1991 to improve MG drivetrains to offer race-car reliability, Frontline soon expanded to offer completely re-engineered and upgraded roadoriented versions of the well-loved sports cars: initially focusing on the MGB (which is still a core product) but now also including its predecessor, the MGA.

It was a logical step. The MGB evolved from the ’A, so many of Frontline’s modifications can also be adapted to the earlier model. Given that the original was designed in the early 1950s, the result is even more mind-blowing.

Take the engine, for example. The majority of MGAs used a simple four-cylinder engine with valves operated by pushrods, giving about 70bhp. That was increased to 108bhp for the rare twin-cam version, but at the expense of reliability. Neither are issues for the Frontline MGA, which also features a twin-cam engine – a Mazda-built version of the 21st-century Ford Duratec

Words Mark Dixon Photography Frontline

‘Talking of style, Frontline has been careful to preserve the period looks that give the MGA so much charm’

THIS PAGE Frontline retrims the MGA interior to a much higher specification while keeping the classic looks.

unit in either 2.0- or 2.5-litre forms. These fuel-injected motors deliver 225bhp/178lb ft and 290bhp/243lb ft of power and torque, respectively, which is enough to power this compact, classic-looking sports car from 0-60mph in just 4.8 or 4.1sec.

To handle the vast increase in performance, Frontline has completely redesigned the entire drivetrain. An MGB-type tube rear axle with Quaife limited-slip differential is suspended not on cart-style leaf springs, like an original MGA, but by a five-link fully adjustable coil set-up. The front end has been reworked with telescopic dampers, while a five-speed Mazda gearbox keeps things relaxed at high speed. And when you need to shed that speed, all-wheel disc brakes – with fourpot calipers at the front – do it without drama, helped by the Frontline MGA weighing 85kg less (the equivalent of an adult human male) than a standard car.

The real joy of the Frontline MGA, however, is that it’s not just superbly quick but also supremely relaxing and easy to drive. The clutch and gearchange are light, while modern electric power steering takes all the effort out of fast cornering and slow parking. It almost goes without saying that instruments and ICE components are to the latest specs; however, if you’d rather listen to the sound of that twin-cam engine, the normally unobtrusive exhaust note evolves into an appealingly sporty rasp when you lean on the throttle, finally turning into a thrilling snarl as you wind that revhappy twin-cam towards 7000rpm and above. This car really does offer the best of both worlds: classic style with modern convenience and responsibility.

Talking of style, Frontline has been careful to preserve the period looks that give the MGA so much charm. Externally, the crystal headlights with their circular outer rings incorporating LED side-lights and indicators are the main giveaways, while the fully retrimmed interior is distinguished by Frontline’s bespoke seats, specially made to look period while offering greater comfort and support. What’s more, because each car is made to order, customers can tweak the specification of the catalogued Factory Edition exactly as they please to create something truly unique.

The price of a Frontline MGA Factory Edition is £145,000 plus relevant taxes. Now, the only consideration is how you would like yours.

For more information visit frontline-cars.co.uk.

Cut ting

to it

Scabal is not merely a tailor but a house that weaves the very fabric of Savile Row and far beyond. We discover how this enduring name continues to cut its cloth with authority

Words

FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY, SCABAL HAS held court on Savile Row. In that time, the house has become synonymous with cloth of the highest calibre, its fabrics now sold in 65 countries. Yet, despite its global reach, Scabal’s heart remains in Huddersfield, where the vast majority of its cloth is still woven.

“It’s where we make some of the finest cloths, such as Galaxy, a Super 110s wool that is known internationally, plus the Super 150s ‘The Londoner’,” says Scabal’s Tommy Raban. “Everything we do is handled in-house. We weave our own cloth, we have our own tailoring production, and we even run our own made-to-measure manufacturing in Portugal, using only Scabal fabrics.”

Though Scabal supplies other tailors in the row, all fittings for its own suits take place at its premises at 12 Savile Row. “There is virtually no third party involved when we make a suit,” Tommy says. “We supply many of the bespoke tailors on Savile Row, whose showrooms display our bunches. We pride ourselves on producing the finest cloth so that anyone can wear the very best fabric on their back.”

Scabal produces many types of cloth, including cashmere, alpaca and even vicuña. Although almost all of it is made in Huddersfield – through every stage, from raw fibre to finished fabric – most of the wool

Nathan Chadwick Photography Scabal

comes from Australia or New Zealand, where the climate produces softer fibres. “In Britain, the harsher weather makes wool coarser, so it is more often used for upholstery and furniture,” Tommy explains.

How one chooses from among Scabal’s offerings depends on purpose as much as taste. “Cloth is classified by Super numbers – 110s, 120s, 130s, 140s and so on – which describe the fineness of the weave. The higher the number, the finer and softer the cloth, and naturally the more costly,” explains Tommy. “The decision often comes down to how the suit will be worn – a customer who wants a treasured jacket for special occasions may lean towards a cashmere blend, while someone buying a business suit for regular working use may prefer something more durable. When you close your eyes and feel a Super 110s against a Super 180s, the difference is clear – that tactile quality is part of the education we give our clients.”

For Tommy, the real satisfaction comes when a client returns years later, still wearing a suit he cut for them. “A gentleman came in recently wearing a jacket I made six years ago, and it looked superb. That longevity is why we do this. Wool itself is timeless – biodegradable, sustainable, cool in summer and warm in winter. Above all, it is comfortable. Comfort is the essence of tailoring.”

The post-pandemic world has altered the way men wear their clothes, and Scabal has responded with nuance. “Scabal has always offered a contemporary silhouette, but as people began working from home they wore suits less often. We had to adapt, so we developed softer, more relaxed tailoring,” Tommy says. “By making tailoring less formal we give clients more reasons to wear suits. Unlined blazers without shoulder pads, for instance, which can be paired with a roll neck, an open shirt, even a T-shirt. At the same time we have embraced more casual garments; we sell more separates and trousers than before, which customers mix with knitwear or casual shirts.”

Tommy adds that in a world where people can spend

THIS PAGE Scabal has adapted its tailoring to suit

‘By making tailoring less formal we give clients more reasons to wear suits’

thousands on luxury sportswear, tailoring must be versatile to compete. “Here on Savile Row we still celebrate tradition, but we also encourage clients to wear tailoring in modern ways – perhaps a jacket with denim, or cloths with a matt finish that feel less formal. It is all about giving people options,” he says.

Scabal has also diversified into other areas, collaborating with Caton for its Austin-Healey 100-based car. “It was a beautiful project, with elements of Scabal fabric incorporated into the interior finish of the car,” Tommy says. “The aim was to celebrate British design and craftsmanship, linking tailoring with motoring heritage.”

Collaborations continue – Scabal works with the London College of Fashion to provide cloth for students’ tailoring projects, and it is currently working with a skincare brand. “If it fits our values and showcases creativity, we are keen,” Tommy adds.

But what if you’re yet to take the bold step of ordering your first bespoke suit? “Enjoy the experience and be open minded,” Tommy advises. “Think about the colour, the type of fabric, and perhaps a design detail such as a stripe or check. Beyond that, let the process guide you.”

Although tailoring is a luxury rather than a necessity these days, Tommy believes it is something a man should do at least once. “Having a suit made, whether for work, a wedding or a special occasion, is a memorable experience,” he muses. “Suits last for years, and each one carries memories of the events it was worn at. My advice is to focus on style rather than fashion. Fashion dates, style endures.”

For more information on Scabal’s fabrics and tailoring, visit scabal.com.

the for Medicine soul

DR Harris & Co is not only the oldest chemist in London – it’s one of the oldest companies in the world, and it currently holds the Royal Warrant for the King

Words Nathan Chadwick

THERE’S LONGEVITY, AND THEN THERE’S DR Harris. It’s been operating from the same corner of St James’s Street, London, since 1790, a stone’s throw from its current HQ at number 11.

Set up by surgeon Henry Harris and Daniel Rotely Harris (the DR in the name), a pharmaceutical chemist, it’s now run by Julian Thomas. “The company gained a reputation for particular products such as classic cologne and lavender water, which are still made today to the same recipes,” he says. “Over the years the company has continued as an apothecary, and it is still a pharmacy today – the oldest in London.”

At present there are around 400 to 500 products in DR Harris’s own line, all of which are made in the UK. “These include many items that would have been present in the early days such as colognes and aftershaves,” Julian explains.”The company is also well known for its shaving soaps and creams, and for its hair care, skin care and soaps. The shop itself comes from a more masculine part of London and has a reputation for shaving products.”

Indeed, DR Harris sits in the heart of men’s clubland, and spent many years serving the gentry and the court of St James. “However, the company has developed a broad range of unisex products which can appeal to a wide variety of customers and to families as a whole,” Julian adds.

This was reflected when DR Harris was awarded the warrant as chemists to Her Majesty The Queen, later The Queen Mother, which was held until her death in 2002. “In 2002 we were granted a warrant for the Prince of Wales, and in 2012 for Queen Elizabeth II,” says Julian. “More recently the company was among the first to be granted warrants for the present King and Queen, one of only seven companies to receive this honour.”

The nature of the Royal Warrant is discreet – Julian says it shows that the Royal Family use the products, but they do not get involved in commissioning specific items. “Warrant holders cannot state what is purchased or supplied, particularly as this company’s warrant relates to the chemist side of the business, which is naturally confidential,” Julian says. “Even so, it is a prestigious connection, valued especially by overseas customers who may not otherwise be familiar with the company or its location in London. It serves as a mark of quality and of a tradition of doing things well.”

This reputation for doing things well has seen the shop develop a strong following through the generations. “Many customers were first introduced to the shop as children by their grandparents, and they return throughout their lives, often introducing their own children and grandchildren in turn,” Julian says. “This gives the business a strong historical connection.”

However, while there’s a strong traditional element to the business, DR Harris remains attuned to the latest trends, particularly in the UK. “Traditionally, the

THIS SPREAD

With so much history, DR Harris is an experience just to visit – and it stocks a wide range of products.

company’s colognes were citrus based and marketed for gentlemen, but more and more women now buy them as well,” Julian says. “Most new products are marketed as unisex unless they are clearly masculine.”

Julian has seen a wider trend towards stronger scents, which isn’t in line with DR Harris ethos. “Our fragrances are more subtle, designed in an age when people would apply scents throughout the day,” Julian says. “Whereas modern products often last eight to ten hours, ours last four to five.”

Julian also has new products up his sleeve for the coming year – these include a modern unisex fragrance with herbal and spicy notes and a junior range designed for children aged three and above. “This range is allergen-free and suitable for sensitive skin,” he says.

Julian loves the historic shop’s location, viewing it as a major strength. “There’s a great mix of independent shops and businesses nearby, as well as local residents, workers and tourists,” he says. “This provides a healthy balance of regular local customers and visitors who may have travelled long distances, sometimes from places such as the west coast of the United States, and who are excited to visit for the first time. It makes the area a particularly enjoyable place to work.”

Find out more at drharris.co.uk

Screening

A huge home theatre screen that folds out of a discreet sideboard is a clever piece of tech indeed – and perfectly suited to modern houses that feature plenty of glass

process

Words Nathan Chadwick Photography C SEED

THIS SPREAD

CEO Alexander Swatek likens the emotional side of C SEED products to a sports car.

WE LIVE IN THE AGE OF THE HOME MULTIPLEX.

With the rise of streaming and the easy availability of secondhand and reissued DVDs, the traditional multi-screen cinema has, in many cases, been replaced by the home theatre.

Yet a home theatre requires space — often an entire room — and a genuine cinema-sized screen can feel intrusive within a carefully designed interior. For those with glass walls, the question becomes: where does the television go?

This is where Austrian company C SEED enters the picture. Its groundbreaking folding-screen technology allows the N1 TV to fold neatly away into a sideboard – a world first – while delivering visual brilliance far beyond that of so-called ‘LED’ TVs.

“There are TVs called LED TVs, but they’re not –they’re LCD TVs with an LED backlight,” asserts C SEED’s CEO Alexander Swatek. “A real MicroLED

screen is made out of individual MicroLEDs. The advantage is that it’s much, much brighter, and can work in an outdoor environment.”

C SEED made its name in outdoor folding screens used on super-yachts and in the gardens of homes around the world. Around five years ago, the brand identified a gap in the market for indoor folding TVs.

“We collaborated with Porsche Design Studio –renowned for its technical and elegant design — on the development of our very first outdoor unfolding TV solution,” Alexander says.

The idea of a folding TV that folds up from a sideboard might seem a bit sci-fi, but Alexander says it reflects a very real-world need. “Technology should fit a need, it should be logical, and if you take today’s architectural designs, there is more and more glass,” he says. “However, customers want to enjoy entertainment, so they have a challenge where to put a big TV if the walls are largely glass. TVs are getting bigger and bigger because the technology is enabling that. Basically, there is no real solution other than ours.”

Each C SEED N1 is machined from one single block

‘For those with glass walls, the question becomes: where does the television go?’

of aerospace-grade aluminium. “We mill out 97 percent of the aluminium – probably the most expensive way of producing something, but it’s the only way to reach a precision in 0.02-millimetre tolerances,” Alexander says. “We have also developed precision hinges, which work on several linear motors – we have two motors for every wing. They control themselves in real-time, meaning that they work 100 percent linearly, with no offset to the other motor.”

But how do you get a screen to merge seamlessly? The answer, Alexander explains, is a literal trick of the light – adaptive gap calibration. “Every wing has two sensors that measure a potential offset in the field of 0.023 millimetre, and if there should be a small offset, depending on whether it’s too tight or there is a small gap, the brightness of the MicroLEDs will either be increased on the edge or reduced, so that the human eye is tricked.”

Although the company has long experience in the rigours of building folding TVs, one that works as a piece of furniture required some radical thinking. “One of our in-house designers graduated from art school, but he’s into technical design – the concept of the sideboard came from him,” Alexander explains. “He gave the engineers a really hard time because in the initial designs you could see the hinges – but his challenge was to design a sideboard that doesn’t give you any clue it can be a TV. It explains itself if you push the remote control, but before that moment when it unfolds, it looks like a piece of furniture.”

The C SEED N1 is available in a wide range of finishes, tailored to customer preference. “Initially we offered only matt or glossy silver, but customers quickly asked for more variety,” Alexander says. The company now offers 12 colours and 12 wood veneers, all to be showcased on its forthcoming online configurator. And for those seeking complete personalisation, Alexander is unequivocal: “Everything is possible.”

The dimensions of possibility extend to the sound

quality. As standard, the N1 TV has a 2.1 sound system with six coaxial speakers. “However, most of our customers wish to use a surround sound system, so we have an open amplifying system that can go up to 9.3,” Alexander explains. “We have a systems integration partner that does everything in the house with regards to smart home sound and video.”

On the subject of integration, the N1 TV has Apple or Android functionality, but Alexander has found that most customers use their own Apple TV system. But there’s another aspect to television use that works to the N1’s favour – gaming. “As we use MicroLED technology with a big video processor, we have zero latency and a refresh rate of 3840Hz.”

To get a taste of the engineering expertise built into each TV and to see the N1 in action, the firm’s chief technical officer Bernhard Schuh took us for a tour around the Vienna assembly facility.

The N1 takes around 20 to 30 seconds to pivot from rest, and the unfolding takes another 20 to 30 seconds.

“The good thing with the N1 is that you can position it as a sideboard or in the centre of the room,” Bernhard explains. “So when the TV comes up, there are different options for the direction in which it can unfold completely.”

While streaming is an important part of the modern media experience, there’s also been thought on how to integrate a greater number of inputs without the need for hundreds of wires feeding back into the television. “We have a cabinet where the frequency converters and controllers are located, and above it we have the AV receiver,” Bernhard adds. “We have almost any kind of connectivity, mainly focusing on HDMI but there are other adapters available.”

It’s all currently contained in a 60 x 60 x 19-inch rack, but Bernhard reveals plans are afoot to rework the system so it’s going be controlled using just one PC device. “We can also integrate other AV devices, such as from Marantz, for example.”

With such big structures and heavy duty engineering, you might think that maintenance would be a challenge, but it’s not with C SEED’s Annual Inspection Programme. “Our technicians come on site and attend to the lubrication of the lifting mechanism, cleaning the MicroLEDs, and cleaning and lubricating the hinge mechanisms,” Bernhard says.

The hinges are a work of engineering art in themselves. “The hinges are driven by the stepper motors, with controllers for every single motor. We use top and bottom hinges for every folding axis in order to achieve a very precise folding mechanism. The two hinges will be controlled in tenths of a second in order

to achieve absolute same positioning,” Bernhard explains. “All the cables are run through energy chains from wing to wing. We packed not only the electronics into the wings but also the entire mechanics – that means, when you look from the front of the TV, it’s entirely frameless. The MicroLEDs will go to the ultimate edge of the screen.”

You might imagine this would be somewhat of a thermal nightmare but Bernhard explains that, while most N1s are in climate-controlled rooms, almost all the devices C SEED builds use integrated passive cooling. “We don’t need to use fans, which keeps noise to a very low level,” Bernhard adds. Each TV takes four weeks to assemble, and is compatible with all the relevant legislation worldwide.

As for the future, Alexander hints at a collaboration with an as-yet-unnamed brand for a special edition. The C SEED team is also partnering with luxury jet interior specialists on a stone-finish concept. “They work with ultra-thin stone that can even bend,” Alexander says. “We’re developing a version that could feature a marble finish.”

BELOW C SEED’s hightech solutions allow a big LED screen to be hidden away.

Speaking more broadly, Alexander likens what C SEED does to that of a car manufacturer. “Our product is a show, it has emotion – and because of this, and the bespoke handcrafted production, it feels like building a sports car,” he smiles. “Most of our customers have classic cars or new collector cars, because they love technology, they love emotions.

“Our product is certainly not a car, but it moves and it transports emotions.”

Find out more about C SEED at www.cseed.com

On the grapevine

NYETIMBER HAS HAD A YEAR THAT’S WORTH drinking to – award wins for its English-produced wines, new partnerships and fresh vintages. Owner Eric Heerema reflects on 2025 and suggests tipples for the festive season ahead.

What have been the highlights of your year?

This year has been a fantastic one in terms of award wins for Nyetimber. In May, our prestige cuvée 1086 by Nyetimber 2010 won top-scoring sparkling wine in the world at London Wine Fair’s Battle of the Bubbles, beating Dom Perignon and Krug. Then, in September, our Blanc de Blancs 2016 Magnum won Champion Sparkling Wine at the International Wine Challenge; the first time in the trophy’s 34-year history that it went to a wine from outside of Champagne. We were also very proud that our Head Winemaker Cherie Spriggs was awarded Sparkling Winemaker of the Year for the second time. She was the first person from outside of Champagne to win the award in 2018 and remains the only woman to have done so.

What makes the 1086 so special?

to much critical acclaim. 1086 by Nyetimber is about balance, harmony and finesse. It is a wine intended for long ageing, having already spent around ten years in our cellars before release.

What wines best suit a Christmas party, Christmas dinner, and the after dinner wind-down?

Nyetimber’s Eric Heerema is a car collector and a great supporter of UK events.

The 1086 by Nyetimber is the pinnacle of our winemaking and is made only in exceptional vintages from our most expressive parcels. We were the first producer to release an English prestige cuvée, with our 2009 vintage (which had been ten years in the making) being released in 2018

I would recommend our Classic Cuvee-Multi Vintage for a drinks party. It is the perfect accompaniment for classic canapés such as oysters or smoked salmon.

For Christmas dinner, I would suggest our Blanc de Blancs with a fish starter, such as white crab. For a traditional turkey main, the red fruit flavours of our Rosé Multi-Vintage are very complementary. Or, for those opting for a different meat such as duck, 1086 by Nyetimber Rosé 2016 would be a special choice. If a light and not too sweet dessert is being served, I’d pair it with our demi-sec, Cuvee Chérie. Made with 100 percent Chardonnay providing a wonderful acidity to balance the sweetness, Cuvee Chérie is fantastic alongside light, pastry-based desserts.

What does 2026 have in store for Nyetimber?

We launched two new sporting partnerships this year – British Cycling and England Rugby. Both have exciting events taking place, beginning with the Six Nations in February at which Nyetimber will have a strong presence. We hope that many fans will raise a glass to celebrate the achievements of the England team, regardless of the outcome of the games!

Our Nyetimber 1086 Routemaster bus will return to Concours on Savile Row [in May 2026]. Nyetimber will be enjoyed everywhere from the bus to the tailors, on stage and at the drinks receptions taking place at the Royal Academy and around the event. Find out more at nyetimber.com

RIGHT

PATEK PHILIPPE QUADRUPLE

COMPLICATION 5308G-001

This self-winding wristwatch combines a minute repeater, split-seconds chronograph and instantaneous perpetual calendar in a polished 42mm white gold case with skeletonised lugs. The sunburst ice-blue dial features applied white-gold baton hour markers, dauphine hands and apertures for day, date and month in an arc. At its heart is the calibre R CHR 27 PS QI, a platinum micro-rotor movement with 799 components, 67 jewels and a thickness of 12.28mm. The minute repeater chimes on dual gongs. The monopusher split-seconds chronograph offers 60-minute and 12-hour timing, while the instantaneous perpetual calendar includes day, date, month, leap year and day-night indicators, plus a moon phase display. It costs £1,059,630. Patek.com

Time may pass, but a stylish, high-quality

Compiled by Nathan Chadwick & Sophie Kochan

RICHARD MILLE RM 07-02 AUTOMATIC SAPPHIRE

The RM 07-02 Automatic Sapphire features a tonneaushaped case carved from coloured sapphire – available in lilac, pink, green and gem-set versions. Each case requires over 1000 hours of machining, including 430 hours for preforming and 350 hours for polishing. It houses the in-house CRMA5 skeletonised automatic movement, crafted from microblasted and handchamfered red or white gold, complete with a diamond-set variable-geometry rotor that adapts winding to the wearer’s activity. Bezel, dial and flange are decorated with diamonds and coloured gemstones – set with laser precision and handpolished prongs. It costs £950,000. richardmille.com

Tick

3

A. LANGE & SÖHNE RICHARD LANGE JUMPING SECONDS

The Richard Lange Jumping Seconds combines a regulatorstyle dial with three precision mechanisms: a constant-force escapement, a jumping seconds display and the Zero-Reset system for precise time setting. Housed in 39.9mm white-gold cases, it is offered with either a black dial or as a 100-piece limited edition featuring a pink-gold dial. It costs £96,000. alange-soehne.com

MONDAINE DOPPIO SOLAR

This watch has a 41mm case made from 316L stainless steel with up to 91 percent recycled material. It uses a solar-powered movement, with cells beneath the dial that convert light into energy. A full charge provides approximately eight months of power. The dial is concave with light transparency and is protected by a double-domed sapphire crystal. The hands and indexes feature double lines, while additional features include a date window, water resistance to 5 ATM and a black strap made from organic wine production waste. It costs £379. uk.mondaine.com

4

ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL LANDDWELLER

The new Rolex Land-Dweller revives the integrated-bracelet aesthetic of the vintage Oysterquartz design. It is available in 36mm and 40mm case sizes, crafted in steel with white-gold bezel, Everose gold, or platinum. At its heart is the new high-frequency calibre 7135. The bracelet is a new Flat Jubilee design with concealed Crownclasp. This White Rolesor model costs £12,250 for the 36mm or £13,050 for the 40mm. rolex.com

BREGUET MARINE

HORA MUNDI 5555

This is the fifth release from Breguet’s 250th anniversary celebrations. Limited to 50 pieces, it pays homage to artistic crafts with a dial on two superimposed levels, one guilloché and the other sapphire, which is inspired by NASA’s Black Marble, a night vision of the Earth. The 43.9mm 18k gold case encapsulates the 77F1 calibre with preprogrammable instant jump dual time zone, date, day/night indicator and synchronised city. The watch makes extensive use of enamel paint – even the cities are represented by phosphorescent enamel paint. It costs CHF88,000. breguet.com

CHOPARD L.U.C QUATTRO MARK IV

A celebration of 25 years since the launch of the first L.U.C Quattro, this watch is presented in platinum with a 39mm case designed to the latest L.U.C aesthetic. It is powered by the Chopard Quattro movement, which uses four series-coupled barrels stacked in pairs and fitted with a total of 1.885 metres of mainsprings. This configuration provides a power reserve of 216 hours (nine days) with constant force to the escapement. The movement operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and is chronometer-certified by the COSC. The watch also carries the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark. It costs £43,100. chopard.com

HARRY WINSTON OCEAN DATE MOON PHASE AUTOMATIC

This limited-edition model (ref: OCEAMP36RR004), capped at 25 pieces, features a 36mm 18k rose-gold case with an open sapphire crystal caseback and 100-metre water resistance. The dial is crafted from green beaded mother-of-pearl with 18k gold elements and is adorned with 72 brilliant-cut diamonds, 14 brilliant-cut emeralds and one emeraldcut emerald. The Emerald green alligator strap includes 24 baguette-cut diamonds and closes with an 18k rose-gold buckle. It’s powered by Harry Winston’s automatic HW3205 calibre, offering off-centred hours and minutes, date and moon phase functions. POA. harrywinston.com

MAURICE LACROIX

AIKONIC AUTOMATIC 43MM

This urban-themed collection blends the Aikon design with ‘innovative craftsmanship’ – hence Aikonic – which means lots of exotic materials. It combines technical ceramic, a bi-rubber strap and a newly patented ML Easy Change system (a tool-free strap interchange mechanism), plus the new ML1000 calibre. Five styles are available, with the version pictured costing £2950. mauricelacroix.com

LUMINOX MIL-SPEC INSPIRED

Mil-Spec refers to military standards set by the US Department of Defense. The Luminox XL.3359.SET has a 46mm CARBONOX+ case, a Grade 2 titanium bezel and 300m water resistance. It is powered by a Swiss-made ETA F06.412 quartz movement. Features include a large orange second hand with SuperLumiNova coating and Luminox Light Technology for visibility. The watch has an additional black webbing strap and costs £849. uk.luminox.com

Tick

JUNGHANS 1972 COMPETITION

This limited edition of 1972 pieces recalls a 1970s design with an anthracite dial contrasted by orange totalisers and tachymeter. The ellipsoidal stainless steel case measures 45.5 x 41.0mm with a height of 14.5mm, featuring a screwed crown, tube and four-screw case back with Edition motif. It houses the self-winding J880.5 movement, offering a 48-hour power reserve. It costs £2590. junghans.de

Tock

LAURENT FERRIER CLASSIC TOURBILLON TEAL

This ultra-limited edition (ref: LCF001.P1.EVC1) of five pieces celebrates 15 years of independence with a tribute to its first production, the Classic Tourbillon. It features a 41mm pebble-shaped platinum case (12.5mm thick, 30m water resistance) with a teal Grand Feu enamel dial on an 18k white-gold base, enamel Roman numerals and sky-blue minute track. The manually wound calibre LF619.01 offers a double balance-spring tourbillon, 80-hour power reserve, 21,600vph (3Hz) frequency and 188 components. Finished in ruthenium with rhodium-plated wheels, visible via its sapphire caseback, it is paired with a forestgreen alligator strap. It’s priced at CHF 195,000 (excluding tax). laurentferrier.ch

HERBELIN NEWPORT HÉRITAGE DIVER

Taking its inspiration from dive watches of the 1970s, the 42mm cushion-shaped case is crafted from 316L stainless steel and a unidirectional ceramic bezel with 120 precise clicks for optimal grip, even when worn with gloves. Underneath there’s a Swiss-made Sellita automatic movement, offering a daily deviation of 0 to +15 seconds, a 28,800vph frequency and a 41-hour power reserve. It’s water resistant to 300m and costs £1150. herbelin.co.uk

TUDOR BLACK BAY 58

Tudor announced new burgundy colourings for this year, and ref: m7939a1a0ru-0002 is a vintageinspired 39mm dive watch crafted in stainless steel. Powered by Tudor’s Calibre MT5402, it delivers 70 hours of power reserve and features COSC-certified precision. Waterproof to 200m, it offers a faded ‘gilt’ dial, large lume-filled hour markers and the signature snowflake hands. It costs £3820. tudorwatch.com

On the case

Thanks to its close relationship with McLaren, TUMI’s luggage is going places. We speak to creative director Victor Sanz about technology, heritage and working with Lando Norris

“SOME PEOPLE HAD A COUNTACH ON THEIR wall, others had a GTO – for me, it was always the McLaren F1,” says Victor Sanz, TUMI’s creative director. “It was the singular obsession.”

Today, Victor heads up TUMI’s design in an era of close collaboration with McLaren. “When the opportunity came for us to partner with an automotive company, because we saw a parallel between our customers’ passions and the automotive industry, McLaren was top of the list,” he says. “For me, McLaren was more than an automotive company. It was a company that was customer obsessed, solely focused on performance and on bringing that performance to the customer. I loved that parallel because we are obsessed with optimising the performance of our product for our customers. Nothing is frivolous.”

Victor found that there was more to both brands’ commonality than that – it went down to the materials

Words Nathan Chadwick

too, such as carbon fibre, ‘superfabrics’, grip and more.

“When we started conversations with McLaren, it became a beautiful symphony of discussion where we were speaking the same language, even though we came from different spectrums,” Victor says.

These conversations led to revelatory moments and a cross-flow of ideas about how to use carbon fibre.

Victor also found great inspiration from the cars himself, which manifested themselves in the luggage design. “When you look at the McLaren products we developed, you can see details from the 720, and we took inspiration from the ‘arrow’. Even on all the zipper pulls, you will see the engine cover, especially framing out the logo,” Victor says. Keen-eyed McLaren fans may also note how Victor and the design team have integrated carbon fibre into the touch points and employed ‘superfabrics’, similar to those used in McLaren seat bolsters to keep drivers in position.

‘It’s one of the highlights of my TUMI career’

This partnership with McLaren means that Victor gets a sneak peek at what’s coming down the line. It’s something that’s proved deeply inspirational: “Every time McLaren launches a car, your jaw hits the floor –the W1 looked like it came from another planet,” he says. This early access has meant he’s been able to absorb design cues and production techniques months ahead of launch, noting details such as handles, paddle shifters, materials, 3D knitting and colour choices. “When I saw all that for the first time, my head was already starting to work out which elements I could use, such as turning a paddle shifter into a bag grip,” Victor says. “As a designer, it’s fulfilling to be able to partner with individuals and have conversations such as ‘How important is that detail?’ Or ‘What are the key design cues that you’re looking at?’”

McLaren was the first team to use carbon fibre in F1 and TUMI also takes a forward-looking approach to materials such as self-reinforced polypropylene – as featured in bulletproof military vehicles and on the undersides of racing cars. “When we found that material, we thought, wow, this is amazing. How do we bring this to life through our design?”

However, new products are also developed with a specific need, reflecting the pace of technological change. “Many years ago, we saw that the briefcase business just started dropping because people were not carrying their laptops anymore, they were carrying smaller devices,” Victor explains. Instead of developing a special floral pattern on a standard bag, his approach to bespoke luggage – beyond the custom monogram patches – is to build a modular platform that allows customers to add and subtract elements that fit around their travel needs. “We developed TUMI+, a programme allowing customers to customise the functionality of their bags, adding clips or extra compartments for travel accessories like cables, chargers or power banks.”

Victor explains a big part of designing the range is building the narrative of the customers. “We never just go with ‘Oh, it looks cool, let’s go launch it,’” he says. “If I’m designing a bag for an editor that’s travelling from the UK to New York, then to LA and then Dubai and back to the UK, they have to carry two laptops, a recording device, their notepad and a week’s worth of clothes. It becomes a challenge – how are they getting to the meeting? They’re not hauling all of this stuff all of the time – so you start breaking it down: they will be working on the plane so need easy access to one of the laptops. Are they going straight to the meeting when they arrive, or to the hotel? Is it just a couple of hours in LA? So we create a storyline, and then design pieces to make the item as efficient as possible.”

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These examples from TUMI’s McLaren range use high-tech materials.

However, it’s not just about functionality – Victor describes TUMI as a product design house with a fashion lens. “When this person lands, they are on the go – they don’t need to think about where they’re going, they know. They look completely confident and put together; this is when the fashion part, the aesthetic comes in,” Victor says. “Luggage is functional but, if you feel put together, you feel confident and then you perform better. If you’ve just borrowed your son’s football kit bag because it was the only one available, you’re not going to feel great walking into a Fortune 500 company to do an interview. We stack all of these obsessive conversations before we put pen to paper.”

TUMI brand began collaborating with McLaren in 2019, unveiling its first collection in March 2021. While the partnership was originally centred on McLaren as a team, TUMI soon saw the opportunity to go further with McLaren driver Lando Norris, inspired by the many dimensions of his life both on and off the circuit. “He embodies the life and passion of our customers,” Victor says. “He is an entrepreneur athlete, a gamer and a well-rounded individual. Having him as our ambassador was the metaphorical cherry on top of the partnership, and he has been outstanding.”

It’s clear that Victor is proud of the McLaren collaboration, and relishes the challenge. “It’s one of the highlights of my TUMI career,” he says.

Find out more about TUMI via https://uk.tumi.com

CASMIN GROUP | VISION MEETS PRECISION

At Casmin Group, we don’t just solve engineering challenges we elevate them. Whether you're breathing new life into a legacy marque, ready to create your own one-of-one, an automotive investor or engineering firm looking to grow, our support bridges the gap between vision and execution. We work discreetly alongside collectors, founders, and master builders to deliver solutions that honour craftsmanship while embracing innovation. For those who commission vehicles as expressions of identity. We look forward to hearing from you.

If your budget doesn’t stretch to £15 million for an Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale, Automotive Artisans can help. Meet the stunning R33

One tailored Alfa

Words James Elliott Photography Charlie B

TO WATCH AUTOMOTIVE ARTISANS AT WORK is to step back in time, to the heyday of aesthetics in cars, when designers had free hand to create outrageous beauty almost unencumbered, not to have to shape their masterpiece around six airbags, a side impact curtain, a safety cell and multiple crumple zones. Such uninhibited freedom led to some of the most beautiful cars of all time, not manufactured from steel panels pressed on giant metal tooling in a sterile industrial environment, but carefully shaped by craftsmen wearing aprons and using hammers and wooden bucks. That is what we see at Pristine PanelWorks’ Worcestershire HQ as a delicate aluminium body takes

unmistakable shape. And what a shape. The car they are building, the R33, is an homage to what many consider the most beautiful road car of all time, the Alfa Romeo T33 Stradale. The Franco Scaglione-designed sports car used Alfa’s own flatplane-cranked 2.0-litre V8 and an unsynchronised Colotti six-speed ’box, which made driving it on the road tricky to say the least. It was reputed to be the most expensive car in the world: its £6100 price would have bought three Jaguar E-types in 1967, so it’s of little surprise that only 11 examples were sold. Today, the Hagerty Price Guide estimates the T33’s value at £15 million.

The Automotive Artisans R33 emerged from enthusiast David Hutchinson’s frustrated attempts to build his own replica T33. He had a tubular aluminium chassis and a glassfibre body, but nothing quite worked. David contacted Jayne and Lee Irish of Pristine PanelWork, who agreed to take the project on but soon realised that the only way to meet David’s expectations was to do it properly, from scratch.

David took a deep breath and Pristine PanelWork got to work, the resulting car being so stunning that it is now to go into limited production under the Automotive Artisans banner, with up to 33 units to be built at a cost of, well, only a tiny fraction of an original.

But it is not an original T33, you say, and you are right. The reason it is called an homage and not a replica

THIS PAGE R33 features a 4.2-litre Maserati V8, Porsche gearbox – and air-con.

or a recreation is that its creators have taken the opportunity to make it more usable and reliable, more powerful and safe for the needs of the modern world. That doesn’t just mean air-con (vital with those tiny windows in butterfly doors and panoramic canopy), but bigger wheels behind which can lie much improved brakes with Wilwood calipers, a torque-optimised 370bhp dry-sumped 4.2-litre Maserati V8 on throttle bodies and driving through a Porsche 992 gearbox, plus Gaz shock absorbers.

While what is different is a huge part of the R33’s appeal, for Bespoke, of course, it is what is the same, and the hand-crafted aluminium chassis and body almost qualify as toolroom copies.

Richard Norris of Classic Alfa has original panels that the team replicated for the complicated body build with two skins. The real beauty of this project, however, was that while the panels were formed using the most traditional of methods, wooden body bucks and an English Wheel, the latest high-tech CAD devices and modern tech were enlisted to improve the shape and fit, to take out the variables that building cars in sheds in Italy in 1967 might have introduced. “The original was out by 20mm side to side,” says Lee. “As a result of the technology, what we have now is millimetre-precise and actually better than the original – it’s laser-straight and everything shuts properly.” The best of both worlds. More information at automotiveartisans.co.uk

‘The car they are building, the R33, is an homage to what many consider the most beautiful road car of all time’

Sign

Bags Life for

Words Nathan Chadwick

For 20 years, Jordan Bespoke has been at the forefront of automotive and motor sport-inspired leather goods. We speak to its founder about how a trip to a Florence in 2005 changed his life

IT HAS BEEN A REMARKABLE JOURNEY FOR Simon Jordan. A chance purchase from a Florentine market stall in 2005 led to a thriving business creating bespoke bags for clients including Sir Stirling Moss and Niki Lauda, as well as manufacturers such as Gordon Murray, Lotus, McLaren, Aston Martin and Bentley. And it all began with a touch of embarrassment…

“I was working with Ferrari specialist Bob Houghton, who was running the Ferrari Challenge UK race cars. We were at Mugello in 2005 for a race meeting and my job was to look after our clients,” recalls Simon. “I needed a new bag; the one I had was embarrassing. I found one on a market stall in Florence and bought it.”

He also took the stallholder’s number and told her he’d be back the following week to buy more bags. “I went back and she showed me her uncle’s factory.”

Simon began importing the bags, using his engineering background to enhance them, building a following for British design and Italian craftsmanship, and in 2008 he switched factories for one that Gucci and Tom Ford also use. The Anglo-Italian approach is reflected in the décor of his Bicester Motion premises in Oxfordshire, which feature a theme of British Racing Green with Italian racing red stripes. One particular scarlet car moved the firm forward, however.

“In 2008 I realised I needed to do something different,” he said. “I’m a big Ferrari fan, so I put a white 56 on a red bag to commemorate Ferrari’s first win in 1947 – the Rome GP, with Franco Cortese in a 125 S.”

One of the UK’s leading Ferrari collectors acquired a themed bag for his car celebrating the Rob Walker 250 GT SWB – and another as a gift for its former driver, Sir Stirling Moss. This led to an official licence from Sir Stirling, and more followed. “At the same time I created the Jim Clark ‘8’ bag, so I phoned Clive Chapman at Classic Team Lotus and asked for an official licence.”

These relationships have endured. Simon has recently completed a collaboration on a special-edition Lotus Emira, the Clark Edition bag, and even provided a bespoke bag for Elliot Moss to mark the anniversary

of his father’s 1955 Mille Miglia victory this year. “Elliot drove the Mercedes-Benz his father and Denis Jenkinson used on a 1954 recce to gather all the information for the ‘toilet roll map’. I took out one of my 722 bags for Elliot to use and the owner of that very car now wants a bag devoted to his 1954 300 SL.”

That’s one example of how a ‘Tailor Made’ bag begins – and bespoke work now drives the majority of what Jordan Bespoke does. “We have five key designs to act as a starting point, and then we choose the material –leather, suede or a cotton/canvas mix, all produced in Tuscany – and then the colour,” Simon explains. “We have nearly 500 colours to choose from.”

Although Simon often travels to meet clients and make their bag dreams a reality, the Bicester Motion facility has a dedicated consultation room. Each bag features YKK Excella metal zippers and seatbelt webbing between 48mm and 50mm width, in a variety of colours. He’s also teamed up with a UK supplier to provide enamel badges, while monograms, initials and logos can be hot-stamped into the leather.

What sets Jordan Bespoke apart is its ability to offer unique personalised linings. “We can use anything –whether it’s a piece of art, a message to a loved one, or a photograph,” Simon explains. The level of customisation can go even further. “Susie Wolff commissioned a bag for Toto and wanted to include a message inside. She hand-wrote it, and I scanned it. I made a metal stamp from it and pressed the message into the leather.”

THIS SPREAD

Jordan

Bespoke’s bags are inspired by motor sport, but can be customised with your own design.

Over the years, Simon has made bags for some of motor sport’s biggest luminaries – Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Tom Kristensen, Roger Penske and many more. The future looks bright, too, with re-releases, new items and innovative materials. “We’ve got British recycled leather, and people are asking for faux leather – and I’ve just found an amazing supplier,” Simon beams. You get the sense this is about more than just leather goods: it’s about taking a meticulous approach to everything. “If you try to cut corners, you’ll end up with an inferior product,” he says. “Not me – I buy all the ingredients to build the perfect bag.”

You can find out more at jordanbespoke.com

Tech note

C SEED BLADE 221, 165 & 137 TV

C SEED has unveiled the BLADE 221in, 165in and 137in large-format 4K LED displays that use MicroLED technology, designed to deliver high contrast and a wide colour spectrum well beyond that of conventional television screens. With brightness levels of 1000 nits, they remain clear even in bright daylight. Each unit includes an on-board 4K media server and six integrated speakers, with options for 7.1 or 9.2 surround sound. Pricing varies depending on specification. cseed.com

Compiled by Nathan Chadwick & Sophie Kochan

MEZE AUDIO POET

These headphones feature handcrafted wooden earcups with a walnut finish. Inside is a dynamic 40mm driver with a copper coil. The closed-back design creates an immersive sound experience, and the soft memory foam earpads provide lasting comfort. The frequency response range is 15Hz to 25kHz, with a sensitivity of 100dB. They weigh just 260 grams and cost £1899. mezeaudio.com

LINN KLIMAX LP12

The Klimax builds on the Sondek base with a Karousel bearing, machined to ultra-tight tolerances, which minimises friction and noise while delivering pitch stability. Power comes from the Radikal supply with a top-spec motor that drives the platter with remarkable consistency. The Ekos SE tonearm and Kandid moving-coil cartridge are matched, extracting the finest detail from vinyl grooves. Aside from the five standard plinth finishes, Linn can provide any colour you like. Prices start at £25,100. linn.co.uk

This ChatGPT-powered recorder can capture, transcribe and summarise conversations. It has 30 hours of recording, weighs just 30g and can transcribe with an accuracy of up to 97 percent in 112 languages. It comes in four colours and costs £149. uk.plaud.ai

Under the CD5si’s extruded aluminium casing lies a BurrBrown PCM1793 DAC, a more stable DAC clock, beefed-up voltage rails, a redesigned analogue filter and upgraded CD transport and laser optics. It uses Naim’s signature swingout CD drawer, laser tracking with error correction, discrete analogue output circuitry and a die-cast non-magnetic enclosure. It costs £1699. naimaudio.com

FOCAL MAESTRO UTOPIA EVO

The Maestro Utopia Evo is Focal’s three-way floor-standing loudspeaker, reimagining the classic Utopia line. It features dual 11-inch ‘W’ woofers – one with a Magnetic Damping System – plus a 6.5-in ‘W’ midrange with Neutral Inductance Circuit (NIC) motor, and a 27mm pure beryllium inverted-dome tweeter. The speaker offers a bandwidth of 25Hz-40kHz (± 3dB), 93dB sensitivity, and supports bi-amplification. Its internal structure minimises resonance, while premium French-made wiring, dense acoustic materials and separate crossovers reinforce performance. Six different finishes are available, and they cost £59,999 per pair. focal.com

NAIM AUDIO CD5SI CD PLAYER

PLAUD AI

GOLDMUND TELOS 8800

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The Goldmund Telos 8800 is a flagship monoblock power amplifier built in Switzerland with a focus on extreme precision and power delivery. Capable of outputting 8000 watts into one ohm, it is engineered to drive even the most demanding loudspeakers without strain. Goldmund’s proprietary mechanical grounding and thermal management systems keep distortion and noise at vanishingly low levels. Each one costs £343,200. goldmund.com

KEF LS50 WIRELESS II

Kef has announced two new colours for its LS50 wireless speakers, the pictured Moss Green plus Sand Shell, making six different options in all. They offer wireless compatibility with AirPlay 2, Google Cast and more, plus wired connections for your TV, games console and turntable. The amplifiers are designed in-house by KEF. They provide output levels of up to 108dB with a focus on detail in the treble and control in the lower frequencies. A pair costs £2199. uk.kef.com

LOEWE NOIR RAINBOW

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Loewe has joined forces with jeweller Jacob & Co to create the Loewe Noir Rainbow. It boasts a handcrafted 14K rose gold ring, adorned with 15.97 carats of gemstones. It also features a high-performance 50mm driver, a Texas Instruments amplifier, personal AI assistant, real-time translation and smart notes. The headphones are optimised for Dolby Atmos and compatible with Spatial Audio. They cost €99,000. loewe.tv

SENNHEISER IE 900

These in-ear monitors are built around a single high-precision 7mm driver. Rather than relying on multiple drivers, Sennheiser engineered the housing to control airflow and resonance with a system of carefully machined acoustic chambers. The result is unusually clear, distortion-free sound across the frequency range. The earphones are made from solid aluminium, milled in Germany, and come with high-quality interchangeable cables. They cost £1299. sennheiser-hearing.com

CURVE RACING X ASTON MARTIN AMR-C01-R

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The AMR-C01-R is the latest luxury racing simulator from Curve Racing in collaboration with Aston Martin. It’s housed in a full carbon fibre monocoque featuring the brand’s iconic Racing grille and evokes the Valkyrie hypercar’s low seat. The cockpit centres a 49in Samsung G95C curved display (1000R) offering 240Hz refresh and 1ms response, with HDR10+ visuals. Limited to 50 units and priced from £70,500. curvrs.com

RUARK R610 MUSIC CONSOLE

The Ruark R610 reinterprets the classic 1970s stereo music centre for today’s streamingfocused home. It houses dual 75W-per-channel Class-D amplifiers and Burr-Brown DACs. Stream music wirelessly via AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect or Qobuz – plus internet radio, DAB+/FM and hi-res formats up to 32-bit/384kHz. It uses a tactile RotoDial and its 5in colour display is encased in walnut veneer or satin charcoal. It costs £1199. shop.ruarkaudio.com

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